The Process & Partnerships Behind the Hill District's STEAM Studio
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The Process & Partnerships Behind the Hill District’s STEAM Studio
I N T R O D U C T I O N
STEAM as a Catalyst for
Community Change
Educators have long known the potential that science,
technology, engineering, arts, and math hold for students.
Better known as “STEAM,” these disciplines help students
develop 21st-century skills, hone an adaptable mindset, and
access in-demand job opportunities. In short, STEAM has
tremendous power to unlock human potential.
But what potential might it hold for systems beyond the
self? If scaled, how might STEAM catalyze change in entire
neighborhoods, communities, and economies?
In the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA, community
organizers and developers have been pursuing this very
question, driven by their community’s unique and powerful
potential to capitalize on STEAM-driven change. Research
shows southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy will continue
to be defined by innovation in life sciences and technology
for years to come, and not only is the Hill District within
striking distance of Pittsburgh’s world-class university and
corporate districts—crucial players in driving a regional
STEAM economy—it is an epicenter for the arts and cultural
work that grounds technological development. Taken
together, these elements prime the Hill District for a STEAM-
based renaissance.
To explore this potential, the Hill District’s STEAM Task Force
launched a community development planning process in
2016. Spearheaded by the Hill Community Development
Corporation (Hill CDC), their work culminated in “New
Granada STEAM,” a big-picture community innovation plan,
which proposed the creation of a physical STEAM Studio
housed within the to-be-redeveloped New Granada Theater.
They envisioned the studio as a place for intergenerational
learning and mentorship, business incubation, and
boundless creative expression. The STEAM Studio could offer
a suite of programs to help community members connect
with all that STEAM has to offer—educational exploration,
workforce readiness, artistic expression, and more. Plus, the
studio would act as an anchor to other newly redeveloped
spaces, like a theater, restaurant, and apartments.
But the STEAM Studio idea embodied much more than a
physical space. It represented a mindset, a holistic
approach to the Hill District’s rich past, dynamic present, and
promising future.
It was clear: The STEAM Studio could pave an exciting path
forward for the Hill District. But the question remained: How?
This year, the community came together to form an answer.
Two existing leaders in community engagement and
development, the University of Pittsburgh’s Hill District
Community Engagement Center (Pitt CEC in the Hill) and the
Hill CDC, embarked on an ambitious planning process to
actualize the STEAM Studio dream. But they knew they
couldn’t complete this work alone.
They engaged a planning team, including the University of
Pittsburgh’s Center for Creativity, Partner4Work, and Remake
Learning, which represented strengths in creative
integration, workforce development, and re-imagining
education. The team led four STEAM Studio planning sessions
over the spring and summer of 2020, bringing together 24
programs from the University of Pittsburgh with 20
neighborhood organizations and community members to
develop a shared vision for the future of the STEAM Studio.
Together, they discussed the potentials and challenges
facing the studio, learned about the future of employment
and economic development in the region, brainstormed
dynamic, collaborative programming, and hosted a special
grant opportunity to fund potential programs, while never
losing sight of their ultimate goal: to foster partnerships that
harness the educational, economic, and cultural power of
STEAM for residents of the Hill District.
This publication summarizes the STEAM Studio planning
process, including the history that made the effort possible
and the programming and support that will guide its future.
We invite you to explore the past, present, and future of
collaboration and innovation in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and
use this as inspiration for your own STEAM dreams.
The dream of the STEAM Studio incorporates
Uplifting many elements: history, community, economy,
workforce, education, and more. But the STEAM
the Existing Studio is defined as much by what it is as what it
Ecosystem
isn’t. The studio isn’t a place for duplication or
exclusion.
The STEAM Studio’s vision won’t be realized solely
through its new programming or physical
space. The studio and the Pitt CEC in the Hill will
partner with, accelerate, and support the Hill
District ’s existing STEAM ecosystem. They will
continue to welcome new collaborations that
uplift the amazing work of the local community.
At a Glance
The STEAM Studio is an initiative of the Pitt CEC in The STEAM Studio is both a physical space
the Hill, developed in partnership with the Hill and a collection of collaborative
CDC, and planned with support from Remake programming hosted by Pitt CEC in the Hill.
Learning, the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Programs span topics in science,
Creativity, and Partner4Work. technology, engineering, environment,
entrepreneurship, arts, agriculture,
architecture, media, and math, with an
emphasis on digital skills connected to the
future of work in southwestern
The physical STEAM Studio space will be housed Pennsylvania.
in the re-developed New Granada Theater, as
part of Pitt’s CEC in the Hill. STEAM Studio
programs will launch before the opening of the
physical space and will be hosted virtually and
in locations throughout the Hill District. Select STEAM Studio programs launched in
the fall of 2020, and the remainder will
launch in 2021. The physical STEAM Studio
space in the New Granada Theater will open
in 2022.
The STEAM Studio will offer residents of the greater Hill District
more access to the personal, collective, and economic
opportunities created by STEAM education and industry.
A B R I E F H I S T O R Y
Timeline
The STEAM Studio dream is built on decades of Hill District history, innovation, and culture.
1928 The New Granada Theater, designed by one of America’s early
African American architects, Louis A. S. Bellinger, completes
construction in the Hill District. It serves as a Pythian Temple
and quickly rises to prominence as an important site in local
jazz culture.
1934 Louis Armstrong leads a benefit at the New Granada
Theater after floods devastate Pittsburgh.
1970s The New Granada Theater closes permanently.
1990s The Hill CDC purchases the New Granada Theater.
2016
The Hill CDC and the community-based STEAM Task Force lead the
New Granada STEAM planning process. Together, the Hill CDC and
community members draft a plan that features the first vision of a
STEAM Studio. Their plan combines community development efforts
with workforce development and STEAM innovation, with the historic
New Granada Theater at the center.
The University of Pittsburgh launches its Community Engagement
Centers initiative in Homewood and the Hill District, two
neighborhoods that invited the university to have a deeper, more
equitable, and sustained relationship with their communities.
2017
Pitt CEC in the Hill forms its advisory council.
The Hill CDC joins the council.
The University of Pittsburgh and the Hill CDC
begin discussing housing the Pitt CEC in the
Hill within the New Granada Theater. They
also discuss the presence of a STEAM
Studio, as outlined by the New Granada
STEAM process.
2018
The University of Pittsburgh opens its
first community engagement center in
Homewood, followed shortly by the Hill
District center.
The centers represent the university’s 15+ year commitment of
funding, infrastructure, programming, and staff to each community.
Pitt CEC in the Hill embraces STEAM programming as a focus and a key
strategy for supporting and engaging younger community members.
2019 Pitt CEC in the Hill and the Hill CDC further solidify the STEAM Studio
concept. Building on the New Granada STEAM process, they envision
the studio as a key component in the Hill CDC’s larger New Granada
Square development. This development dedicates 20,000 square feet
to the Pitt CEC in the Hill and the STEAM Studio, along with dedicated
spaces for Pitt’s Center for African American Poetry and Poetics, Pitt’s
Jazz Studies program, small business development support, and
educational engagements.
The University of Pittsburgh's Center for Creativity, Partner4Work, and
Remake Learning join the STEAM Studio planning team. They begin
designing a community-based process that will inform the vision and
programming of the future STEAM Studio.
University of Pittsburgh’s Year of Creativity (2019-2020), a partner of
the Center for Creativity, provides financial support to the STEAM
Studio planning process and its launching of a slate of programming.
Every academic year, this Provost initiative celebrates and grows one
of the University’s goal and value areas, and this year, identifies the
STEAM Studio as part of its Year of Engagement.
PNC provides additional financial support to the planning process and
programming development.
2020 The STEAM Studio planning
team facilitates four planning
sessions with community
organizations and university
members. During the sessions,
attendees brainstorm
collaborative programming
ideas and have an opportunity
to apply for supportive seed
grants. At the conclusion of the
sessions, Pitt CEC in the Hill
awards $30,000 in seed grants
to nine community
organizations and community-
university teams, funding the
first phase of STEAM Studio
programming.
Pitt CEC in the Hill, in partnership with the Hill CDC, is selected to be a
Digital Inclusion Center site by Neighborhood Allies, due in large part
to New Granada STEAM and the STEAM Studio. The distinction provides
Pitt CEC in the Hill and the Hill CDC with funding to build out a Digital
Inclusion Center, supporting STEAM programming both within and
beyond the STEAM Studio.
Initial seed grant funded programs launch under the banner of the
STEAM Studio, hosted virtually and at sites across the Hill District.
2021 The remainder of seed grant funded STEAM Studio programs
will launch, along with Digital Inclusion Center programming.
2022 Pitt CEC in the Hill will complete its build
and the STEAM Studio and Digital
Inclusion Center will begin physical
operations in the remodeled New
Granada Theater.
T H E P L A N N I N G P R O C E S S
The Intersection of
STEAM & Opportunity
The STEAM Studio planning process consisted of four
sessions held over the spring and summer of 2020.
Sessions brought together—first in-person, then virtually—
various programs from the University of Pittsburgh,
neighborhood organizations, and community members to
develop a shared vision for the future of the STEAM Studio.
Participants brainstormed ideas, learned from current
STEAM leaders in the Hill District, examined emerging
workforce and economic trends, and took part in a seed
grant opportunity to fund potential programs.
Taken together, these sessions helped build a framework for
the future of the STEAM Studio through collaborations that
no one organization, department, or person could have
created alone.
Session
Participants
COM M U N I T Y R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S & S T A K E H OL D E R S
Regina Br own, Ujamaa Collective
La Keisha Byrd , Communion Place
Takara Cant y, ACH Clearpathways
Ashley Comans, Hill District Youth Partnership (HYPE)
Diamond Davis, Housing Opportunities Unlimited
Alicia Georg e, Schenley Heights 4 Youth
Sea n Gibson, Josh Gibson Foundation
Carol Hardeman, Hill District Consensus Group
Erika Hedin, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Hill District
Eric Howze, No Hero Left Behind
Shinora Johnson, The Center That CARES
Daniel Lavelle, City of Pittsburgh Councilman, District 6
U N I V ER S I TY R EP R ES EN TA TI V ES
Nadine Masagara -Taylor , The Corner
St eve Abramowitch, Swanson School of Engineering, CampBioE
Marimba Milliones, Hill Community Development Corporation
Alaine Allen, Swanson School of Engineering
Kristen Morgan, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Hill District
Mike Arenth, University Center for Teaching and Learning
Delvina Morrow, Pittsburgh Penguins
Caleb Ashcraft , Manufacturing Assistance Center Makerspace
Charles Mosley, Hill District Consensus Group, Crawford Square
Kit Ayars, Center for Creativity
Homeowners Association
Michael Blackhurst , Center for Social and Urban Research
Darelle Porter , Ozanam, Inc.
David Boone, CoSBBI, UPCI Academy, & School of Medicine
T err y Smith, M-PowerHous e
Claudia Byers, School of Nursing
Karla Stallworth, School 2 Career
Robert Clift , Film Studies
Lee Walls, Hill District Ministers Alliance, Amani Development
Yolanda Covington, Africana Studies
Felicity Williams, Hill Community Development Corporation
Marilyn Dice, Pitt Nursing Health & Community Systems
Lakeisha Wolf , Ujamaa Collective
Rosta Farzan, School of Computing and Information
Byron Wright , Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh
Samantha Ford , Office of Sustainability
Cindy Young -Smith, Schenley Heights 4 Youth
Nicole Gantt -Mitchell, Jazz Studies
Kristy Giandomenico, PittServes
Michael Giazonn, College in High School
Amanda Godley, School of Education, Center for Urban Education,
& the Learning Research and Development Center
Rebecca Gonda , Department of Biological Sciences
Stephanie Gonzalez , School of Medicine
Aaron Graham, Manager, Open Lab, University of Pittsburgh
Claire Guth, Manufacturing Assistance Center
Will Hinton, Center for Teaching and Learning
Shenay Jeffrey, PittServes
Arthur Kosowsky, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Jeff Lawson, School of Computing and Information
Wes Lipschultz , School of Computing and Information
Dawn Lundy Martin, Center for African American Poetry & Poetics
Irene Monteverdi, Jazz Studies
Catherine Rebitch, School of Pharmacy
Lauren Russell, Center for African American Poetry and Poetics
Erik Schukers, Center for Creativity
Khirsten Scot t , Black Rhetoric and Public Writing
Sera Thorton, Center for Teaching and Learning
Melanie Vignovich, Corporate & Foundation Relations
LaMonica Wiggins, Entrepreneurship Librarian
Planning Session 1
FEBRUARY 26, 2020
SETTING THE STAGE
The first STEAM Studio planning session brought the
planning team together with organizations,
community members, and university stakeholders
for the first time. The snowy afternoon at the Hill
District’s Blakey Center set the stage for a creative
planning process. Throughout the afternoon, the
planning team challenged participants to dream
big.
Planning partners provided background on their
roles and areas of expertise. They reviewed the
foundational work of the STEAM Task Force,
concentrating on the role the STEAM Studio could
play in bridging employee-employer gaps in the
community. They also led participants through
several relationship-building, creativity, and
brainstorming activities, demonstrating the STEAM
Studio’s commitment to co-creation and
collaboration.
Planning Session 2
JUNE 4, 2020
LE T' S TA LK A B O U T
S TE A M IN THE HILL
The second planning session embraced a sense
of strength through community. Meeting for the
first time since the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic, the planning team and participants
convened virtually. They began the session with a
moment of reflection, sharing how they were
struggling yet coping during uncertain times.
The session then turned to the Hill District’s existing
STEAM ecosystem. Several STEAM leaders from the
community presented their histories,
programming, and engagement strategies,
helping session participants to spark conversation
around authentic, mutually-beneficial
partnerships between community organizations
and university members.
Presenting organizations included ACH
ClearPathways, Center that CARES, Pittsburgh
Housing Authority, M-PowerHouse, Ozanam,
Schenley Heights for Youth, School 2 Career, The
Corner, and the Ujamaa Collective.
Planning Session 3
JULY 7, 2020
W O R K FO R CE TR E NDS
& SEED GRANTS
Session three offered key
insights from planning partner
Partner4Work, focusing on how
organizations and communities
may need to reposition in a
post-COVID economy and adapt
to changes in employment and
demand.
The planning team also
announced an addition to the
STEAM Studio seed grant
opportunity; grants would now
offer support for organizations
navigating unforeseen changes
in the wake of the pandemic.
The planning team walked
participants through the grant
application process and fielded
questions from potential
applicants.
Planning Session 4
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020
A LO O K TO THE FU TU R E
With the seed grant application process complete,
the final planning session opened with an
announcement of the seed grant winners.
Following this announcement, participants divided
into breakout groups to imagine a more detailed
calendar of activities for the STEAM Studio, building
on previous brainstorming sessions and their new
knowledge of funded programs. In addition,
participants each shared in one word what they
felt excited to do in the new STEAM Studio, leaving
everyone with a sense of hope and excitement for
their shared future ahead.
Response to the Pandemics Between the first and second STEAM Studio planning sessions, the world experienced seismic shifts in education, work, and life, brought on by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. While the planning team worked to move sessions online, they also took time to reassess priorities in light of new realities. For one, they realized the even greater role digital skills and literacy must play within the STEAM Studio framework, and they worked to more deeply integrate these aspects into their planning. In addition, they shifted seed grantmaking strategies in response to feedback from community organizations, many of which were facing new financial vulnerabilities. They added a capacity building component to the seed grants and emphasized greater support for existing community assets across every aspect of the process. Emphasis on Digital Inclusion Though the STEAM Studio planning process emphasized digital skills The Pitt CEC in the Hill and the Hill CDC partnered with from the start, digital inclusion emerged as a much larger focus Neighborhood Allies to help make digital inclusion a core throughout the process. Initially, the planning partners included digital expression of the STEAM Studio. In the summer of 2020, skills under the larger umbrella of STEAM; they not only relate to the Neighborhood Allies selected the partners as a Digital Inclusion STEAM jobs abundant in the region, but are now necessary for most Center site. The distinction provides funding to build out a Digital living-wage and middle-skill jobs. What’s more, digital skill Inclusion Center, supporting STEAM programming both within and development, technology, and related jobs are typically far less beyond the STEAM Studio, and will ensure the physical space will be accessible to communities of color, like those served by the Pitt CECs. designed with a digital-STEAM focus. The onset of COVID-19 highlighted many of these long-standing disparities, thanks to rapid shifts to online learning, remote work, and human service interruptions. The planning partners knew that digital skill development and digital literacy must become a primary focus of the STEAM Studio. The digital divide was quickly growing into a digital chasm, but they were primed to combat its progression.
S E E D G R A N T S & F U N D E D P R O G R A M S
Case Studies in Collaboration
Resources, including financial resources, play a big role in
transforming any dream into a concrete reality. For this
reason, the STEAM Studio planning partners built a seed
grant opportunity into the fabric of their process. The grants
provided funding for community organizations and
university members to develop and launch STEAM Studio
programming.
At the same time, these grants operationalized two
concepts core to the STEAM Studio planning process:
representation and collaboration.
Seed grants represented an important investment in the Hill
District’s existing STEAM ecosystem—and provided relief
from unforeseen consequences of COVID-19—but also
prioritized new partnerships between community-based
organizations and university departments and initiatives.
Planning process participants could apply for two types of
seed grants:
• Community Organization STEAM Seed Grants:
Designed to offset organizational needs in the aftermath
of COVID-19 and contribute to organizational
sustainability and capacity.
• STEAM Team Project Seed Grants: Designed to
accelerate programs co-created through community-
university collaboration, which integrate a multi-
disciplinary approach to STEAM learning, exposure, or
upskilling and
Seed grant applications were open to any community-based organization involved
in the STEAM Studio planning process or any team with at least one collaborator
from the university and one collaborator from a community-based organization.
Applicants needed to incorporate at least one STEAM discipline, though preference
was given to those with multi-disciplinary integration.
At t he end of t he STEAM Studio planning process, Pit t CEC in t he Hill awarded
$30,000 in seed grant funding t o t he following programs, project s, and courses.
Developed By: ACH Clear Developed By: M-PowerHouse Developed By: Painting with
Pathways, University of Purpose, University of Pittsburgh’s
Pittsburgh’s Center for Creativity Department of Studio Arts
Targeted STEAM Fields:
Engineering, Technology
Targeted STEAM Fields: Arts, Math, Targeted STEAM Fields: Art,
Media Environment
A drone technology education
program for youth, facilitated
A for-youth, by-youth program
through a Zoom-bas ed A creative, educational workshop
focusing on literacies , multimedia,
curriculum. Through eight offering community members and
and spoken word. By connecting
sessions , this program will cover university s takeholders the artistic
the mathematics of rhythm to
introductory drone topics chance to "leave their mark."
language, this program will help
necessary to enter into a career Participants will work with
students develop writing and
in unmanned aviation and offer cardstock, colored pencils , acrylic,
critical thinking s kills , build an
lessons on basic commercial and Mod Podge to build a canvas
understanding of the cultural and
drone technology, airspace, and of 100 cut-out hands displaying
social justice issues underlying
weather. The program will also the words “Stronger
the spoken word tradition and
include a safety and ethics Community...Stronger University.”
form, and gain experience
session, covering all applicable Workshop attendees will also
presenting, performing, and
safety principles and ethical and complete a survey about their
communicating/receiving
moral considerations of the detailed STEAM interests and how
constructive feedback. Youth will
drone industry. the Pitt CEC in the Hill could
meet regularly in a writing-
potentially support their interests .
workshop learning environment,
Once complete, the finished
where they will be able to read,
artwork will be donated to the Pitt
perform, and publish works of
CEC in the Hill and placed on
spoken word while also using
display in a public space or office.
related digital media
applications .
Developed By: School 2 Career, Developed By: Future Makers,
Developed By: The Hill
M-PowerHouse, University of University of Pittsburgh Library
Community Development
Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, System
Corporation
Pharmacy & Therapeutics
Department Targeted STEAM Fields:
Targeted STEAM Fields:
Entrepreneurship, Mathematics
Technology, Entrepreneurship
Targeted STEAM Fields: Science,
Technology A virtual, seven-week business An introductory bootcamp course
program for youth, which will focusing on the technology and
An interactive showcase for introduce students to the s kills skills needed within the retail,
students in grades 9-12, which will needed to build a social- or food, construction, and
be hos ted over s ix weeks and technological-based venture. artist/creative indus tries in a post
feature either a combination of Through weekly remote meetups , COVID-19 society. Topics covered
in-person and virtual expert speakers , and interactive will include FinTech/point-of-sale
programming or fully virtual virtual activities , students will systems , IT and data
programming. Each week, learn the value of critical thinking, management, digital literacy,
students will interact with a creativity, and teamwork, while digital platforms , and customer
different community healthcare building skills in ideation, product service technology.
worker (e.g. internal medicine creation, and business financial
physician, clinic-based literacy. They will develop a
pharmacist, physical therapist, business plan for a venture that
dentist, dietician, etc.) and addresses a need in their
participate in activities related to community, receiving guidance
the featured discipline. Students from university and community
will have an opportunity to earn practitioners along the way. At the
prizes for individual and team program’s conclusion, students
activities . The showcase will build will participate in a pitch
on the foundation established by competition and winning ideas
the School 2 Careers program will receive monetary prizes .
and M-PowerHouse, with an Students will also be encouraged
overarching goal of addressing to submit their ideas to national
the shortage of underrepresented pitch competitions .
populations in healthcare fields
and fostering and retaining
healthcare talent in Pittsburgh.
Developed By: Miller African Developed By: University of Developed By: University of
Centered Academy, University of Pittsburgh School of Computing Pittsburgh Manufacturing
Pittsburgh Swanson School of and Information Assistance Center
Engineering
Targeted STEAM Fields: Targeted STEAM Fields:
Targeted STEAM Fields: Engineering, Technology Engineering, Technology
Engineering, Technology
A virtual course that will transition A course for high school students
This s ix-week course will use the the learning opportunities of and young adults , where
online EarSketch platform to formerly in-person STEAM courses participants will learn Computer
teach coding through music, into an engaging remote Aided Drafting (CAD) and
addressing the ubiquitous , but experience. While in-person Computer Aided Manufacturing
not always relatable, nature of courses typically rely on pre-built (CAM) skills as a stepping-stone
computer science. EarSketch will models , robots , or drones , the to careers in manufacturing.
allow students to learn Python Building Blocks of STEAM course Students will explore CAD drawing
coding language in a fun and will embrace hands-on building and solid modeling design
creative way, with no prior for young learners . It will provide techniques , allowing them to
programming experience students with Lego Gadget Kits create 3D printed products . The
required. Instructors will guide and a combination of both pre- course will be offered remotely
students through interactive recorded building instruction using Zoom and CAD design
lessons where they will be able to videos and live show-and-tell Autodes k Fusion 360 software. 3D
mix their own music using code. sessions . Through this approach, models will be printers at the
young learners will gain Manufacturing Assistance Center
knowledge on the fundamentals and monitored by students using
of technology and engineering, a strategically placed cameras .
foundation that will help build
future interests and lay the
foundation for more advanced
programming in STEAM.
During the planning process, Pitt CEC in the Hill and the Hill CDC partnered with
Neighborhood Allies to help make digital inclusion a core expression of the STEAM
Studio. In the summer of 2020, Neighborhood Allies selected the partners as a Digital
Inclusion Center site, a distinction that provides funding for the Pitt CEC in the Hill to
build out a Digital Inclusion Center. The center will support STEAM programming both
within and beyond the STEAM Studio, and will ensure the physical space will be
designed with a digital-STEAM focus.
The programs below give a taste of what great er Digital Inclusion Cent er
programming will offer.
Developed By: University of Developed By: University of Developed By: University of
Pittsburgh School of Computing Pittsburgh's Digital Scholarship Pittsburgh's IT Department,
and Information, The Corner Series, School 2 Career Microsoft, LinkedIn Learning
A four-week series that put This cohort-bas ed workshop An online series that shared the
students on the road to building series offered an on-ramp to skills needed to work in IT support
the "world’s hardest game" online, programmatic thinking and —the gateway to mos t high-tech
using the Scratch coding tool. introduced the logic underlying careers! University of Pittsburgh
Students learned the basics of basic coding functions . The faculty members and IT
coding and computational course covered basics such as specialists taught all classes ,
thinking and left the course with programming environments , which covered topics in operating
an understanding that game the command line interface, systems , security, software
design is for everyone. As part of awareness of various troubleshooting, networking, and
the lessons , students created a programming languages , and computer operations . A Microsoft
video game complete with coding concepts such as team member was also available
characters , obstacle courses , and arithmetic, variables , functions , to provide one-on-one help with
enemies , as well as fun ways to conditionals , and loops lessons , offer personal mentoring,
score points and win. University of demonstrated in Python. and give professional advice.
Pittsburgh students led the
sessions , deploying interactive
elements to s et the foundation of
coding concepts in a fun and
engaging way.C O N C L U S I O N
A STEAM-Filled Future
The planning process outlined in this report has helped the
STEAM Studio planning partners, community organizations,
and university members come together to make significant
progress toward realizing the STEAM Studio dream. However,
the work is far from over, as this dream will continue to
evolve and grow in the months and years ahead.
In the short-term, STEAM Studio programs funded by seed
grants will continue to roll-out and refine their offerings. In
the long-term, the STEAM Studio looks forward to opening its
physical space, offering a robust environment that will
emphasize digital skills and literacy for the entire Hill District
community.
The STEAM Studio’s future will focus on:
The Pitt CEC in the Hill, thanks
Growing its in large part to the STEAM
Studio, will serve as one of
role as a four Digital Inclusion Centers
Digital
in the City of Pittsburgh.
This complimentary effort,
Inclusion
focusing on STEAM exposures,
digital literacy, upskilling and
Center
reskilling workforce, and digital
tool acquisition for
entrepreneurs, will support
STEAM programming both within
and beyond the STEAM Studio
and connect the studio to an
even larger ecosystem of
community and university
partners.
The Pitt CEC in the Hill and the
Connecting
Conceptual
STEAM Studio will find an eventual
home within the remodeled New
Space with
Granada Theater, as part of the
Hill CDC’s larger New Granada
Physical
Square development. This will
provide a physical home for
Place
STEAM Studio and Digital
Inclusion Center programming,
embodying the conceptual and
collaborative connections
already in place.
Creating a From the first planning session to
Connected
the last, proposed STEAM
programming emerged around
Calendar
three themes: intergenerational
learning, mentorship, and
workforce development .
Though the beauty of STEAM
incorporates many different
disciplines and countless
programming possibilities, the
inner workings of the STEAM
Studio will remain united around
these three themes.
The STEAM Studio dream was
grounded in collaboration from Sounding a
Call to Action
the beginning, and it can only
continue with continued support
from the Hill District community
and the Pittsburgh region.
If you are interested in
collaborating, contact the CEC
in the Hill’s director at
cechill@pit t .edu to learn
more.
From Dream to STEAM is a project the University of Share
Pittsburgh's Hill District Community Engagement
Facebook
Center, Remake Learning, the Hill District
Community Development Corporation, University of Twitter
Pittsburgh's Center for Creativity and Partner4Work. LinkedIn
Funding provided by University of Pittsburgh's Year
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